1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning compositions and methods for use on hard surfaces. The invention also relates to cleaning compositions for use with cleaning substrates, cleaning heads, cleaning pads, cleaning sponges and related systems for cleaning hard surfaces. The composition also relates to natural cleaning compositions having a limited number of ingredients and having good cleaning properties and low residue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cleaning formulations have progressed and created a large chemical industry devoted to developing new synthetic surfactants and solvents to achieve ever improving cleaning compositions for the consumer. Because of a desire to use renewable resources, natural based cleaners are gaining increasing interest. Most of these cleaners contain only some natural ingredients. One difficulty in formulating natural based cleaners is achieving acceptable consumer performance with a limited number of natural components compared to highly developed formulations using synthetic surfactants and solvents.
Typical cleaning formulations require multiple surfactants, solvents, and builder combinations to achieve adequate consumer performance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,069 to Deguchi et al. discloses alkyl glycoside detergent systems with anionic, amphoteric and nonionic surfactant ingredients. U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,950 to Garti et al. discloses nano-sized concentrates with examples using Tween® surfactants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,050 to Murch et al. discloses toxicologically acceptable cleaners containing oleic acid and citric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,969 to Moster et al. discloses natural cleaners containing anionic surfactants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,326 to Maile et al. discloses glass cleaners with ethanol, glycol ethers, and anionic surfactants.
Prior art compositions do not combine effective cleaning with a minimum number of ingredients, especially with natural ingredients. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning composition that overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings associated with prior art cleaning compositions.